An optical cable comprises a large number of optical transmission elements for transmitting light from at least one transmission unit to a plurality of reception units. The optical transmission elements are arranged within the cable. The quality of the transmission of light through the optical transmission elements can be determined, for example, by means of attenuation which occurs as light is guided through the optical transmission elements. In particular in the case of a bend in the optical cable about small radii, an increase in the attenuation can take place. Furthermore, the cable being subjected to a tensile force can also result in an increase in the attenuation. In the case of the bend as well as in the case of tensile loading of the optical cable, a considerable increase in the attenuation can occur in some of the optical transmission elements, whereas other optical transmission elements merely demonstrate a slight rise in the attenuation.
There is therefore a need for an optical cable in which the optical transmission elements contained in the cable have approximately identical optical properties in the event of the cable being subjected to a tensile force.